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Tuesday, June 5, 2012

A delightfully funny novel packing a clever punch, from the author of the New York Times bestselling Julie and Romeo

A mom in her early fifties, Clover knows she no longer turns heads the way she used to, and she's only really missed when dinner isn't on the table on time. Then Clover wakes up one morning to discover she's invisible--truly invisible. She panics, but when her husband and son sit down to dinner, nothing is amiss. Even though she's been with her husband, Arthur, since college, her condition goes unnoticed. Her friend Gilda immediately observes that Clover is invisible, which relieves Clover immensely--she's not losing her mind after all!--but she is crushed by the realization that neither her husband nor her children ever truly look at her. She was invisible even before she knew she was invisible.

Clover discovers that there are other women like her, women of a certain age who seem to have disappeared. As she uses her invisibility to get to know her family and her town better, Clover leads the way in helping invisible women become recognized and appreciated no matter what their role. Smart and hilarious, with indomitable female characters, Calling Invisible Women will appeal to anyone who has ever felt invisible.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nashville author Jeanne Ray has redefined life after 60, for herself and her readers. At an age when most people start thinking of retirement, Ray launched a second career writing endearing comedies about the angst filled love lives of the senior set. Yes, Ray says, grandma and grandpa can still kick up their heels and fall in love.

To read more about Author Jeanne Ray, see my first post about CALLING INVISIBLE WOMEN HERE

MY THOUGHTS/REVIEW:

Jeanne Ray's CALLING INVISIBLE WOMEN will hit home with many women today who often feel as if they are being taken for granted and not appreciated for all they do and who they are any more. After years of being married and being a good wife and mother, Clover Hobart is one of those women. However, in Ray’s clever novel, CALLING INVISIBLE WOMEN, Clover not only feels like nobody notices her anymore but she literally becomes invisible one day.

The vanishing comes and goes and while her best friend understands it, Clover finds that her family doesn’t even notice her absence. Everyone seems too busy with their own lives to even become aware of the fact that she isn’t there much of the time. With her inattentive husband busy with work, a son who is back at home again looking for job, and a self-centered cheerleading daughter in college, Clover is not their priority. It is only when she sees an ad calling for “Invisible Women” that Clover realizes she isn’t alone.

Clover finds out through the group that a combination of certain prescribed drugs often given to “women of a certain age” is the cause of this odd condition. Evidently the pharmaceutical company has failed to give warning or remove the drugs and so this group takes a stand against big “pharma”! While Ray’s writing is clever and the theme rather unique, I didn’t quite buy it enough to be able to get into the story that much. CALLING INVISIBLE WOMEN is an easy read and although it does show there is still life left in the older set for some fun and feistiness, I just didn’t buy it. That is my personal feeling but am sure others will find it to be quite delightful especially due to the well developed characters.

Thanks, Debbie for your comment. I wasn't crazy for the overall plot but did find the book well written and a smooth read...just couldn't buy into the whole invisible part. Perhaps I was too literal and it was really more symbolic in nature about her being "invisible".

It's too bad the overall story was a bit much, but glad to hear about Ray's well developed characters. That is definitely something I always like about her books. Too bad the invisible thing took such an odd turn.JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

I can remember many times feeling invisible back when I was married and the kids were all still at home. I think most women feel like this at times when things get so routine you feel like you're in a rut. Actually being invisible might have been rather a rush on occasion!I appreciate your honest opinion but would still like to read the book - and then pass it on to my DIL who probably feels invisible at times, too!kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com